No crafts today....

We went on a wood cutting trip last weekend. I took these pictures....it was a very devastated area, and, almost made me sick to my stomach. After living in the "ALPS of Arizona" for 29 years, it hurts... There are other posts about this fire, with pictures, if you look on the right sidebar, under labels. Thanks for your visit!

Oh, woe is me! I have been having computer issues!
Actually, this started in February, when I had my favorite Tech guy take the big {one year old} home computer to work on. HE STILL HAS IT and it's becoming a REAL issue!
Now, my laptop has been giving me funny messages
(I hate that 'internet explorer has stopped working' thingy!)
So, I am using hubbys laptop, thankfully, I talked him into bringing it home from the trailer!
So, I am 'stranded' for the moment...........
I'll be back....I guess the upside is that I've got time to craft! LOL
--Make Something That Means Something--
Thanks for your visit!

Welcome to Clifton, Arizona!

After two months of unemployment, hubby got called to work--hopefully...it's kind of a jacked-up mess! LOL We decided to move the trailer to Clifton, Sunday, the 9th, to the spot that was being held for us since May! We've been parked in this place several times before, through the years. Definitely not much to be desired!

The empty spot next to us, is reserved for our son. Thank goodness, it's someone we will know. The trailers are a WEE bit close!

But, hey, at least I have access to the clothesline! LOL

ahhhh....life is good! HA!

AND,

where there's a will,

there's a way!

At least I have room to CRAFT! hehehe

Oh, and there is my blender that I planned on EMBELLISHING! ROFL

See it, on the counter!?

That thing is about 36 years old! Hubby got it for Christmas for me, one year. It didn''t take long before he figured out NOT to get me appliances for a gift! HA!

On second thought, mabye the Duct Tape is enough embellishing??

Whatcha think???

(If you don't know what the blender embellishing is all about,

check out this Stampin' Up! video!

 

Thanks for your visit!

SO HAPPY!! And, Proud!

Our youngest son, who is in the Air Force Reserves, is pinning on another stripe, September 1! He will be a Technical Sergeant, an E-6. This is quite an accomplishment, since he has only had 8 years with the Air Force. Most candidates for this promotion don't make it until their 10th-12th years.
I was excited to make him a very special card. I found some Air Force graphics online, and printed them out. They were the catalyst for the card to come together. This graphic almost looked like metal. You can't tell here, but, another insignia was also cut out and popped up onto the bottom layer.  It looked VERY nice and professional, if I do say so myself! hehehe

This is the first time that I've made one of these inside pop-up cards. It's not perfect, but, it works. I have 2 of the graphics together, one popped up onto the bottom. It looked very nice.

And, here is the finished inside. JTB are his intials, but, we have a special saying with them, and, he will know what they mean.

He may think it's all hokey, until he finds the $100 check I slipped in!

He is in Northern California, too far from home, but, he can go do some celebrating with the money.

He makes us SO SO proud!!!

Thanks for your visit!

25 pounds later & an Ornament

Remember, the other day, when I mentioned working on 25 pounds of peaches?
Well, here are the results of some 'hard labor'. WHEW!

All together, I made an 8 x 8 peach cobbler, 2 'handpies, perserved 216 oz. of yummy jam (20 jars), 4 mini peach pies, 4 custard-bowl sized peach cobblers, 2 small bread tin-sized peach cobblers, and I also used the peels to make 8 cups of peach syrup!!! My freezer and pantry are nicely stuffed! Me, too, with all the fresh peaches I ate as I worked. I did all of it over a 3 day period. The first day, I was 'whupped'! Hopefully, I'll be rested and ready to go when Apple Season starts!
So, how do you like my Christmas Ornament?
Look at the size of that! These would be a great tree ornament, wine bottle adornment or bag tag.
I am having a class, if you are interested. You'll get to use your BIG SHOT for this one!
Don't have a BIG SHOT??? I know where you can get one! LOL
I use my BIG SHOT every day that I craft! Love My BIG SHOT!

You will need to order the Stamp Set and Framelits BUNDLE from my website, and, then, I will send you the photo tutorial, so, you can make as many as you want!

You'll need to order either the Clear Mount or Wood Mount. Plus, when you order this bundle, you'll save 15% off the normal price!! AWESOME!
**If you ordered a BIG SHOT and the items needed for this project,
you would also get $25 HOSTESS FREE CREDIT!**
Questions? Just send me an email. Thanks for your visit!

Pink Dress Card

WOWSER! It was so windy here yesterday, with gusts well over 50MPH---that is one thing I DON'T like about living in Round Valley! We have had up 105MPH winds, and, have even been a question on Jeopardy, for naming one of the WINDIEST towns in the USA! Yep! We got wind, that's for sure, and, brother....the locals are a bit uneasy with all the winds.... Last year it was windy just like this, and, when the Wallow Fire started Memorial Day weekend.....well, let's just leave it at THE LARGEST WILDFIRE IN ARIZONA.....ugh! As I talk to locals here and there....it's interesting to know that I am NOT THE ONLY one that still has belongings that are not put up yet....I have a HUGE fabric Tupperware tote with all of my photos in it,,,ready to grab, if necessary. Going through something so traumatic as the fire and weeklong evacuation doesn't leave you fast.....
Anyway.....isn't this card the cutest??? I found this on STAMPIN CONNECTION....a website for Stampin' Up! Demonstrators only, with over 234,000 samples from demonstrators all over.
I needed some birthday cards, and this fit the bill perfectly! I want to make more to put into my card stash. I hate it when I--the card lady--don't have the 'right' card for a specific occasion. How sad is that?!?

This was the first time that I tried inking up my embossing folder first, before running the paper through the BIG SHOT with the embossing folder. I {love} my BIG SHOT and the VINTAGE WALLPAPER embossing folder!
I will leave you with one more photo for the day.

I {LOVE} to hang clothes on my clothesline!!! Last Sunday, was the first day for my line drying!
Hanging clothes on the line is so relaxing to me...weird, I know. I just love being a domesticated housewife, I guess! LOL Sad to think that line drying clothes is sort of a lost art....
How do YOU dry your clothes? Please leave me a comment.....I'd love to know!
And, if you have any questions about my card, you can email me.
Have a GREAT Saturday!
Thanks for your visit!

Christmas Cards for the Military

I had wanted to do this project several years ago, when our son was active-duty AIR FORCE, and, I guess I just didn't feel confident enough to do.
This year, our AF son (in the AF Reserves now) signed up for a voluntary 6 month deployment. He left July 4th, and will be stateside sometime after the first of the year, 2012. He will be missing lots of holidays. With him missing Christmas at home, I figured this is the year for the Christmas cards to be made!
I had just about everything under control to have local crafters come help me make 500 Christmas cards to send to my sons AF base. I got almost enough local donations to cover the costs of the paper/envelopes/postage; a local Pizza shop donated pizzas for us; I had help from 2 very special friends *HI Sheila and Jennifer*getting the 500 cards and envelopes cut and prepared, beforehand, for the ladies to put together on October 1, World Card Making Day.
So much for all my careful planning......I got whisked away to the hospital in Scottsdale on September 29, and ended up away from home for ONE MONTH, due to a cyst growing around a bile duct, necessitating a 6+ hour surgery for a common bile duct bypass, and removal of gall bladder and stones-14 days in the hospital!!!; then, a 2 1/2 week stay at my moms to convalesce. Whew! One week after I can home, the cards were finally made! I was so relieved to get the 20 pound box of love delivered to the Post Office, Monday, the 7th of November! My son will deliver the box to the base Chaplain, and he will make sure that the military personnel know they are there and to SEND HOME A CARD! What a blessing!!! FOR EVERYONE!!!
Here are some pictures I wanted to share:

500 CARDS PREPPED AND READY TO BE PUT TOGETHER

My faithful cardmaking helpers!

SHIPPING DAY!!!!

These are the cards they assembled. All single layer, for postage savings and NO GLITTER, per OPSEC.

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
We so enjoyed doing this, that we may do something in the New Year for birthdays, etc.
Thanks for your visit!

11/11/11....2 days late

Our Air Force son.

SO PROUD and MISSING you so much!

Thank you for your sacrifice and service to the USA!

And, THANK YOU to all the US Military!

How humble I feel, when I think of their sacrifices.....

Thanks for your visit!

I survived the YELLOW MAGIC MARKER SYNDROME!

Whew! What a wild ride! You never know what life will throw at you!
I just got home, after spending 2 weeks in the hospital & 2+ weeks convalesing at my moms home.
Thank God for a special ANGEL FRIEND that came to me unexpectedly---it was 'a God thing'---and confirmed what I was wondering about.....I WAS YELLOW!

To make a LONG story short....I had to have a common bile duct bypass, with gall bladder/stones removal. (I had a cyst growing around the connecting duct area.) I had my 6-7 hour surgery on Tuesday, October 4th, in Scottsdale. (wanna see my 12" curvy incision??? LOL) They didn't know what was going on until they got 'in there'. They were stumped because I was in NO pain...thank GOD! But, I was a bright yellow MAGIC MARKER color! (My eyeballs are still a bit yellow yet, even today.) They initially thought it was {CANCER}, due to the location of the issue and no pain relating to gall bladder. My surgeon was a very special person, and he told me what I had was very rare. Through this whole ordeal, I was enveloped in prayers, and, give God the glory, that caring, highly qualified people were placed in my life to nurture and care for me through the MOST scariest time in my life! Amazing how I literally felt the prayers over me, taking the majority of my fears away. I felt so small....knowing that I was in the palm of Gods hands, but, elated to know that GOD had the plan for me!

Thankfully, that is all behind us, and there are NO issues to deal with relating to that whole issue!
THANK YOU GOD!

So......now, I am on the path of working my Stampin' Up! business! (Funny how $150,000 in medical bills will do that to ya! LOL) I really want to make this into a great financially profitable and fun experience for anyone that I am in contact with!

If you love to scrapbook/make cards or papercrafts, click the link to the side to get information to sign up and get your FREE BIG SHOT, through 11/11/11... *or $100 in FREE merchandise*. What a fantastic opportunity!
Hostesses during the month of November, 2011, get EXTRA FREE MERCHANDISE also!!!
*You can have a virtual party, no matter WHERE you live! Items shipped directly to your door!*

...count your blessing!
Thanks for your visit! .

I am back....

Actually, I have been home since June 14th.... I have taken time off to recover from the terrible stress of the Wallow Fire that had us evacuated for a week. I didn't know how much stress something like this puts you under....including the animals...

The Wallow Fire still continues in the southern end of it, I believe it's about 77% contained.
I didn't want to see the devastation, but, I ended up being drawn to it.... Parts of the highway between Eagar and Alpine are fine, some have burned grassy patches, and some have total devastion. Mostly around Hulsey Lake area. I didn't have my binoculars or camera (I don't think I could bare to take pictures) with me, but, I saw enough on the top ridges of the 11,000 foot Escudilla Mountain, and in Alpine, to know how bad it is....heartsickening. The east side of Greer is pretty bad, too. Years of beautiful forest gone....
Today, it is overcast and almost feels humid....now, we have flooding to deal with, when our monsoons (rainy season) comes in. No one really knows what to expect from that!

I am continued to be amazed at the crazy weather situations in all parts of the USA, and around the world. Makes me do some heavy duty thinking....But, this makes me feel better:

What the Caterpillar calls the end of the world,

The Master calls a Butterfly...

Take care, wherever in the world you are...
Thanks for your visit!

PHOTO GALLERY from our local newspaper...

It's not actually 'local', but, the only one we have here...
WALLOW FIRE PHOTO GALLERY

Thanks for your visit!

....Good Morning {Cough, Cough}

The smoke smell woke me up this morning. Very unnerving! I was up late....1 A.M. and, was up looking out the window by 5:45 a.m. I'm scanning the computer for any updates....nothing yet, I suppose they are still having their meetings and briefings.

If you want to check out the areas webcam, click here:

ROUND VALLEY WEBCAM

I hope you can figure it out. You can slow it down, by using the arrow keys, and, clicking through each 15 minutes. The dome you see is in the center of the city-it's the High School's Athletic Dome.

The Phoenix TV channels don't have any new news yet, either. They 'pad' some of the information, so, we take that information with a grain of salt.

All I know so far is:

193,000 acres burned *from last night, may be updated by morning*

3rd largest Arizona fire ever *and, we're not done yet*

2300+ firefighters *THANK YOU!!!!*

Costs are up to $5M so far *Thanks Hikers! AND, thanks ASFS for NOT having fire restrictions during HIGH WINDS AND EXTREMELY DRY CONDITIONS*

{Sorry for that rant! But, that's pretty much the consensis of most locals!}

HIGH winds predicted for this afternoon/evening *20-30 MPH, gusting to 40+MPH  GREAT!*

There are no current evacuations for us yet.

One of the things they say they will be 'working' on, is more timely information.

I have been following the Apache County Emergency Management and Springerville Police Chief FACEBOOK accoounts. They usually have some information.

Yesterday, the fire jumped across the highway, by Nutrioso, so, both sides of the mountain will get it now, including our favorite camping spot!!! (This will probably head into New Mexico.) They pretty much had an emergency evacuation for 6-8 small settlements on the east side of HWY 180. A couple of dry lightening strikes started some fires on that side, also. Unfortunately, dry lightening will be a factor, as our monsoon, rainy season brews. It can't get here soon enough, because, they predict this fire will burn until it gets here. Typically, we don't get any considerable rain until after the 4th of July.......not good.

I sat on this computer ALL day yesterday!

I finally got up and did my own style of FIRE MANAGEMENT--

I made cookies! LOL

I called my friend, Sheila, to see if she wanted go for a ride around town, after supper.

The air had cleared, and I just had to get out of the house!

She had a great idea to give some of the firefighters some cookies!

She and her family had went out to eat, and did a little town driving. She said the poor, tired firefighters are flopped out all over the schoolyards on the grass, sleeping and resting.

So, that's what we did! I'm not sure if we should be doing that, but, we are thinking about going again today.

It's so freaky, driving aroung this sleepy little town of 6,000. We are NOT used to all this commotion.

There are so many 'strange' vehicles and things. LOTS of different fire trucks, HOT SHOT buses, Forest Service vehicles, many Police Official vehicles, trucks with huge satellites on them, TV staion crews, etc. The town seemed to be bustling...I think everyone was doing the same thing we were doing.....just looking...driving aroung to be OUTTA the house!

We drove up by the airport. This was an interesting sight:

 I could see 6 or 8 in a row...

It got too dark for more pictures, but, I hope to go out again for pictures and to the store.

If things 'go south' I'll leave for my moms in Willcox, about 4-5 hours away, cause I have to go the LONG way. The other road is blocked. I don't think I'll be leaving unless the smoke gets unbearable, or we are told to leave. Some people (with babies, or older people, or ones that have breathing issues already) have left on their own already. I am packed and ready to go, which makes me feel a tiny bit at ease. At least I don't have to make a mad dash at the last minute, when I wouldn't be able to think straight. Today might tell...

I just heard the garbage man driving into the neighborhood, so, I wheeled my container to the road. It seems funny that life goes on  as 'normal'. I always listen for the birdies singing...I worry about all the critters, poor things not knowing what is going on....I figure if I hear them singing, I'm still safe!

Well, take a deep breath of your CLEAN, FRESH air, wherever you are!

And, enjoy your BLUE skies for me!

Thanks for your visit!

Wallow Fire Updates

This is not craft related, and it's long,,,,,,,
Our town has been on pins and needles the past couple of days...You know it seems like you never get enough information, even though, we are kept posted. This all is just so scary and makes us all just absolutely sick to our stomachs, thinking about losing this precious, beautiful forest....
The "ALPS" of Arizona, is what it's referred to....

Friday, June 3, 2011

Here's the link to the video I took...for some reason I can't get it to embed...

::WALLOW FIRE YOUTUBE::

It was W.I.N.D.Y....so, you might want to turn your sound down.

Saturday, June 4, 2011

...Morning...

 *** Below***
This had me FREAKED OUT....the fire is that-a-way!

 Help is on the way...He gets water, I believe.

::SATURDAY --MY BACKYARD -- YOU TUBE::

 I got so scared and worried, looking at the orange sky all afternoon, that about 6:30, I went for a drive. Got a DQ *comfort food FOR SURE*, and drove up Picnic Hill. I had to see with my own eyes, that there weren't actually flames up over my mountain! Doubting Thomas, that I am....
This is coming back down into town. Rodeo grounds to the right. It was socked in like this all night.
**The white spots you see in the photo are flying ash**

Sunday Morning, June 5, 2011

Please say some prayers for the AWESOME firefighters....

there are over 1,300 so far, and more on the way!

I found this youtube from a local.....

Some of the pictures are from some of the

local Hot Shots fighting the Wallow Fire....

::THIS IS MY HOME::

Thanks for your visit!